Sex differences and gender development Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is meant by sex differences
Biological differences (mediated through hormones)
What is meant by gender roles?
Behaviours etc. considered appropriate for males/females
What is meant by gender typing?
Process of adopting the behaviours and values culturally appropriate for males/females
What is meant by gender role stereotypes?
Beliefs about characteristics for males/females - for adults AND children
What develops in terms of gender at 1 year?
Movement: boys look more at boys moving (think the reflections of movement) and vice verca
girls: shorter steps more hips swinging and fluid movement
boys: bend from waist (girls from knees)
What develops at 2 year?
Understanding of gender identity: identifies themselves (and others) as males/females
Behaviours: boys - trucks and cars girls - dolls and soft toys
Beliefs: stereotypical (refuses to play with gender inappropriate toys)
What develops at 3-4 year?
understand gender stability: ie that sex is permanent
behaviours: gender-typed roles (ie dolls vs tumble play) –> stereotypical beliefs about what genders do
What develops at 5+?
Beliefs about what genders are like (ie boys tough girls soft-hearted)
behaviours: prefer same sex
Stereotypical beliefs peak around 7 years of age
What are the 3 theories of how gender develops?
Socialisation: gender-typed behaviour –> gender knowledge (child is passive)
Cognitive: gender knowledge –> gender behaviour (child is active)
Biological (genetic): biological bias for gender differences influenced by socialisation
Describe socialisation in terms of gender
tought by reinforcement/modelling of gender behaviour
evidence for: differential treatment from birth etc
evidence against: reinforcement weak and doesn’t account for early differentiation
What is the cognitive developmental theory?
Gender concept (understanding) underpins behaviour (Kohlberg)
Evidence for: level of understanding correlates with behaviour
Evidence against: gender preferences shown very early (ie before understanding)
What is the gender schema theory?
socialisation and cognition (schemas and scripts (routines) not concept) play a part (Martin)
What’s said about the impacts of genetics?
Y chromosome instigates switching of male hormone (3-8 months in pregnancy) –> affects physical and brain organisation
Evidence: testosterone levels correlate with things such as vocabulary
